You Belong With Me
by TheAnaGrace
Summary: AU: Jackson and April are in their senior year of high school. They've been best friends since they were just kids and grew up living next door to each other without realizing they had feelings for one another. When will they realize that the feelings they share are bigger than just a simple friendship?
1. the game

AN: Hey guys! First of all, I want to thank each and everyone of you who are about to read this fanfic. It's an AU fic and it's very inspired in the tv show Friday Night Lights and Taylor Swift's music video for You Belong with Me! I really hope you enjoy the first chapter. As usual, just a reminder that english is not my first language so I'm sorry for any gramatical or spelling mistakes you could find. Let me know what you think with a review. Thank you. Love, Annie.

...

The first thought that crosses her mind on that chilly October morning is that today is Homecoming. She always dreads those days, since they weren't really cut out for her, but it's high school and it seems like everyone around her lives for these kinds of events. As she steps on the carpet floors beneath her feet, she stumbles on a red journal where she usually writes down her thoughts after the day is over. Trying not to make any noise, since it's way too early in the morning and everyone else is probably still asleep, April moves carefully around the room. Then, opening the curtains, she checks on the weather. It looks like it's going to rain, but she hopes the clouds eventually go way, since today Jackson's got the big homecoming game and she plans on not getting soaking wet watching him play… and, yes, she doesn't usually like sports but when it comes to Jackson… let's just say she never misses one of his games.

Looking across the slim space between his house and hers, April looks at his bedroom window. The blue curtains are still all the way down and she knows he is probably still asleep like everyone else. Sighting, April closes her eyes and for a second imagines what he looks like sleeping. Like an angel, probably, with his tanned skin and freckles and the cute little noises he makes when he is having a good dream.

Jackson has been her best friend since they were about six years old and they started first grade together. She was new in town, because her family had just moved in from Moline when her father lost his job at the farm. Moving to Seattle wasn't easy, especially when you come from such a small town. The big city and all the new faces are scary and the world seems to get bigger all of a sudden. But with Jackson's help on the first day of school, everything became easier. They were inseparable up until tenth grade when eventually things started to change. Jackson became this handsome young man, with his deep blue eyes and freckles, he swooned all the girls at school. With his athletic skills and great discipline, he became the quarterback of the school's football team, the Mercy West Panthers. Everyone loved Jackson and when he spoke people paid attention, they loved being around him, how funny he was. April didn't mind sharing him with the rest of the world, even though she knows the word sharing isn't exactly right, because one can't share what one doesn't own. However, she knows that even though he is an honest guy, the only time he is truly himself, with no masks and no playing pretend, is when he is with her. This is their last year of high school, the last time they will live next door to each other and the last time she's going to have the opportunity to let him know she's been in love with since the first day they met.

It's never easy to hide your feelings, especially when you're so close to the person you're in love with. It's even harder when that same person has a girlfriend. Yes, Jackson has a girlfriend. Mackenzie or Kenzie as everyone calls her, is a senior too. Unlike April, she's one of the popular ones, a cheerleader. She's tall and has golden brown hair, perfect white teeth, a great warming smile and no zits on her face. Kenzie is the epitome of what a girl next door should be, except that she isn't very nice, particularly to April. But Jackson fell for her this summer, and it broke April's heart to a million pieces, because she never found the nerve within herself to tell him how she feels.

Turning on her feet, April reaches for her pink robe and heads to the bathroom. It's early, so she keeps as quiet as she can be walking around the house, not wanting to wake up anyone. Her two younger sisters sleep in the same bedroom and this year she was fortunate enough to have the room for herself since Libby went off to college last year. She's loving having her own space, because growing up with three other girls isn't always easy. That's why she thinks she likes to hang out with boys the most, particularly Jackson.

After washing her face and brushing her fuzzy scarlet hair, she picks on something to dress. A pair of jeans and a grey sweater seems just fine. The pep rally is taking place this afternoon and even though she's not trying to impress anyone, she doesn't want to look bad either, but she never steps out of her comfort zone.

Coming down on the kitchen to have breakfast, April makes herself a bowl of cereal and picks up her bible on the way. Even though her whole family is religious, being a Christian girl isn't the easiest task in the world, especially when you're in high school and things are hard as they are. Jackson doesn't believe in God, but he's always been respectful about her faith, which is something she appreciates. They never really talk about it, but he knows she goes to church every Sunday morning and takes at least a week during the summer to head to the church's summer camp. April likes to read her bible in the morning, it helps her prepare for the day ahead and it gives her all the confidence she needs to know everything will be alright. So, with the cereal in one hand and her bible on the other, she makes her way to the front door porch. Finding a comfortable spot on the porch's swing, she carefully opens her bible and with her free hand, she leads the spoon to her mouth. "Love is patient, love is kind…" She reads to herself, even though she knows those words by heart. "Love…"

"Morning!"

She jumps on her seat, before moving her eyes to the person standing in front of her. "You scared the hell outta me!"

"Hey! No cursing in the Lord's presence." Jackson jokes, watching as she nervously tries to clean the spilled milk on her sweater. "You got up early today."

"So did you!"

"Decided to go for a run, get ready for the game later."

"It's six in the morning, Jackson. The game is only in the evening."

"Well, you know I like to be prepared."

"I do." She nods, noticing now how his basketball jersey fits his so well, the way it showcases his strong arms, the sweat dripping down his neck and shoulders. Jackson always makes her feel things she never feels when she's with other people and it's in those moments she knows she's way too in love with him.

"So, are you coming to the pep rally?"

"I was thinking about it."

"Good. It's going to be cool. And the game?"

"You know I never miss one. I promise I'll be there."

"Yeah…" He smiles and nods, knowing she's right. "So I'll see you later, right?"

"Yep." April replies, with a smile, unsure of what to say next. They've always been close, but ever since Jackson started dating Kenzie this summer things changed a little bit. April always finds it hard to say the right words or make conversation. She figured the less she talked to him, the less her heart would hurt. Out of sight, out of mind… but not really, not really at all.

"Looks like it's going to rain. Imma head home." Jackson points out, looking at the dark grey clouds in the sky. "See ya, April."

"Bye." She says, watching as he turns around and steps down her front door porch, with no idea that she is burning up inside. Reaching for her bible again, April shakes her head and tries to collect her thoughts. "Love never fails…" She starts reading again and as soon as he leaves the first drops of rain start falling.

…

Somehow the pep rallies always feel like the same. The energy is up, there's music and cheers and the football team is all together, getting ready for the game, the crowds are ecstatic and the whole school can't be more proud of their Panthers. Tonight's game is against the biggest team's rival, the Seattle Grace Tigers. Sitting by herself on the gymnasium benches, April focuses her eyes on Jackson. The room is full of people, yet her eyes are only on him. Looking as handsome as ever, he's wearing a pair of washed up jeans and his blue football jersey, with the number seven on the back in big white letters. He is chatting with his team mates and playing it cool, but April knows just how nervous he is. Coach Webber has a serious look on his face, the man never seems to catch a break, and he always puts so much pressure on Jackson's shoulders. But Jackson never loses his composure, his mind is always on the game. Just as the school's dance team finish doing their bit, an old Missy Eliot song starts to play out loud on the speakers. April sees Mackenzie gathering the rest of the cheerleaders. They, with their perfect outfits and bows in their heads, make is seem so effortless, so easy to be a girl in high school. She wonders for a moment what it would feel like to be one of them. Then, shaking her head she smiles to herself, thinking it's a good daydream but she would never fit in with them.

"Hey. There you are." She feels a tap on her shoulder and it's her friend Arizona. "Been looking for you all over the place. I texted you!"

"Sorry, my phone's in my bag. I didn't-"

"It's alright. Has it started yet?"

"It's almost finishing." April replies, with a laugh. Arizona has always been like this. She's a good friend and all, but when it comes to showing up in time, she always loses track of time and ends up being late. "Are you coming with me to the game?"

"Yes… I mean, I might watch the first half, but then I'm leaving." She says, sitting next to April and placing her bag down in front of her feet. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Nope!" April says, moving her eyes up to Jackson, waiting for him to look up.

"April…" Arizona starts, moving her mouth closer to April's ear. "Are you ever going to talk to him?"

"What?"

Arizona and April have been friends since the tenth grade. She was knew in school and April found her an easy person to talk to the first time they met. They've became close friends ever since, but April never got the courage to talk about her feelings for Jackson to anyone. Not even Arizona, but she figured it out anyways. "Are you ever going to tell him?"

"I don't want to talk about it, okay?" April rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "Plus, he's with Mackenzie now."

"That skank!"

"Hey, Arizona, don't say that! It's not nice."

Arizona shrugs and rolls her eyes at the same time. "It's not like I'm lying." She says. "She's been hitting on Jackson all of these years, but he never paid any attention to her. So, what did she do? She dated Nathan, then made the move on Alex, then freaking Ben… Ben? And only to get closer to Jackson, dating almost all of his friends."

"We're not slut shaming anyone here, okay? She can date whoever she wants, it's fine!"

"So she can date Jackson and you're going to tell me it's not killing you inside?" Arizona asks. "April, I know you. You're just too sweet to say anything, but she's not a nice person."

"We don't know her that well. She can be a very nice person, but we don't know."

"She's a mean bitch!"

"Arizona!"

"And I honestly don't know what Jackson saw in her. Such a fool!" Arizona goes on, searching inside her bag for her phone. "And you know who's to blame, right? You!"

"Me?"

"Yes, you! You like him and you never had the guts to say it to him."

"Because he seems me like a sister, like a little sister. What was I supposed to do? Tell him-" April stops, before looking around and lowering her tone. "-Tell him that I have feelings for him and get rejected? I have some pride, okay?"

"Fine." Arizona says, before rolling her eyes once again and looking down at her phone. "But just remember that at some point you're going to regret not saying anything. You're going to regret not having the courage to say you loved him. This is our senior year and you're going to miss out on that change."

"It's not that simple."

"If you'll never try, you'll never know." April doesn't reply this time and Arizona doesn't say anything else. But she's right and April knows her friend is right, but Jackson seems happy with Mackenzie. And when he's happy, she's happy.

Lost in her thoughts, she only comes to her senses once the music changes and all the cheerleaders are now in position in the middle of the gymnasium. The lights are now and the crowds seem to get quiet for a minute. Then, the football team takes the stage as well and each one of them choose a girl. Dropping on one knee, they extent to them a single flower wrapped in a blue ribbon, the school's color. Jackson is standing right in front of Mackenzie and she smiles, proud of herself. He gives her the flower and she accepts it, giggling with the rest of the girls. Then, she places both hands on Jackson's shoulders and drops one kiss on his cheek. It all happens so fast but April can't stand to watch it. Quickly standing up, she excuses herself much to Arizona's surprise, who wasn't paying any attention at all to what was happening. As she leaves, Jackson stands up and moves his eyes as she walks. He tries to shout her name, but in vain. April leaves the space without turning back.

…

"GO PANTHERS! GO PANTHERS!"

The game's already on motion and the Tigers are losing but not for much. Jackson looks at the stands trying to find April as he listens to coach Webber's instructions. She's not there. She said she would be there, but she isn't and he's worried, because she has never missed one of his games. It's an unsettling feeling knowing she isn't there to cheer for him.

"Avery! Are you listening?"

"Hmm… yes, coach."

"Good, now don't waste that throw. This is our last chance to get the lead. Karev will be open wide waiting for that ball. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" Jackson nods, quickly moving his eyes between the coach and the stands, giving it another try to find April. He saw her leave the gym, but was hoping she would be back by now. It doesn't feel right without her watching him play.

"JACKSON! JACKSON!" He turns his head slightly to the left and there's Mackenzie shouting out his name, with one hand in the air, trying to catch his attention. He shakes his head, not paying her any attention and quickly gets back on the green field. Frustrated, he hears the crowds long the cheerleaders in the distance sing altogether "B-E-A-T… BEAT THE TIGERS! BEAT THE TIGERS!" Their voices get all messed up inside his head as he runs his eyes one last time through the crowds. His favorite red haired girl isn't in the stands and he almost misses the start of the play. The ball comes flying out loose, there's a huge collective gasp as he throws it away and it falls on the floor before his team mate can even get a hold of it. Jackson takes a second to think, before he starts to realize what's happening. It's like his feet are stuck and he can't move on the ground. The game's a mess now and he can hear the other team's cheer began to roar. In one swift play the result turns around and they're losing.

"Avery, the hell?" He feels a strong tap on his shoulder. Looking to the side, he sees a very angry Ben Warren ready to kick his ass. The whole team was counting on him for the big first game of the season and he's just not focused at all. "Get your fucking head in the game!"

It's an useless advice. They don't have much more time left to catch up and end up losing. There's not much else to say except that the quarterback is the one to blame.

"Jackson! What's wrong?" Kenzie runs to him as soon as the game is over.

"I'm fine. I'll talk to you later, Kenz."

"Wait. You're not just going to walk away."

"I'm tired. I need a shower, I-"

"It was her, wasn't it? April? I saw the way you kept looking out for her."

"I'm really not in the mood for fighting right now." He says once he notices Kenzie's tone get little hyped up.

"I'm not picking up a fight. But it was all her fault."

"I didn't even notice April wasn't here." Jackson lies as he keeps walking completely defeated along the field with his helmet on one hand.

"Don't lie to me Jackson! It's been bothering you all night that April isn't here." Kenzie goes on, as frustrated as ever. "Look! I'm not letting her get in the way of this!"

Jackson stops, his eyes changing its color as a mix of frustration and anger starts to take over him. "I told you, my friendship with April is not going to change just because we're dating. She's my best friend, alright? And you're gonna have to stop having these little tantrums every time she's around, or every time I mention her name." Kenzie crosses her arms, pouting. "Now I've got to go. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"Are we still going to the dance?" She asks, making Jackson roll his eyes. Apparently the dance was the only thing that mattered. "Jackson?" He nods, but doesn't say another word, leaving her behind and making his way to the locker rooms.

…

He parks his red pickup truck about forty five minutes later on the driveway to his house. The neighborhood is quiet and so is his house. His mother is working a late shift, so she's not home yet. He didn't plan the rest of his evening to go this way, but with the team's loss, there's really no reason to go out anymore. So, he decides it's for the best to just go home and forget about tonight.

As he steps out of the car, he gets the bag with all his gear. Walking in silence, he opens the front door, turns on the lights, takes off his shoes and leaves them by the entrance. Quickly walking upstairs, he drops the bag by his bedroom door. Contrasting with the darkness of his room, he spots April's bedroom light on. And there she is, looking as if nothing had happened, sitting by her desk with her legs up on the chair, wearing pair of plaid pajamas pants and a white shirt, with her hair up in a loose ponytail, her old brown glasses on and a look serious on her face as she writes something down on her red notebook. Reaching for his back pocket, Jackson finds his phone and quickly looks for her number. Then, finally turning on the bedroom light, he waits for her to pick up the phone.

"Hmm… hello?"

He sits on his bed and watches as she answers. "Hi."

"Hey. Didn't notice you were home yet." April says, turning to the window and finding him staring back at her. "How did it go?"

"We lost." He says, in a tired tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"You weren't there." Jackson goes on, watching as April slowly closes her notebook leaving the pen inside it to mark the page. "Something happened?"

"Hmm… I wasn't feeling so well." She replies, moving on the chair and holding her legs with a free arm. "I'm sorry I'm missed the game, I really do, but… Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I mean… It's just a game, right."

He's lying and she knows it. To him, football isn't just a game. It's a way of living. He loves to play the sport and be the best he can be at it. He loves carrying his team to the win. He loves the cheers and the applause. He loves it all. But of course he is too proud to show it off. "I know you, Jackson."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"C'mon. It's me. You can tell me the truth still." _Still_ , because even though they've been a little bit apart during the summer she is still his best friend and she still know his by heart. "I know you're frustrated!"

He lets out a deep breath and sit on the edge of his bed, with his legs hanging out. With the phone on his hand, he nods, looking right across the window he finds comfort in her voice and in her eyes. "The team hates me. I'm sure the coach is thinking about replacing me after the disaster that was tonight's game."

"Nobody hates you. It was just a bad game. I'm sure you're gonna do better next time."

"I better! I need that scholarship if I want to get my ass in college. What will I do if I don't get in and get stuck here while you're off without me?"

April lets out a shy sympathetic laugh. They planned a long time ago that they would be both attending the same university and move out of Seattle together. April with her good grades wouldn't have a problem finding a scholarship, but Jackson desperately needed the football scholarship if they wanted to keep the dream alive. Up until that point April wasn't sure if their promise was still standing with Jackson now having a girlfriend and all, but she felt a little hope light up inside of her when she hears the words he just said. "I'm sure you'd do just fine without me."

He pauses for a second, thinking that the truth is that he doesn't want to _do_ _just fine_ without her. He's so used to having her in his life, he can't picture what life would be like if April wasn't just a window away. "Anyways, are you coming to the dance tomorrow?"

"I'm actually not going." April replies, lowering her head a little embarrassed by the fact no one invited her to the dance.

"You have to. It's our senior year."

"I know, but I'm not really feeling it."

"April, c'mon! We have to go."

"And you're going… with Kenzie." She reminds him.

"Oh yeah… right, but-" April notices how his expression changes all of a sudden, the smile that was lingering on his lips slowly disappeared. However, she doesn't say a thing. "I know I'm going, but it would be nice to have you there. Plus, you didn't come to the game tonight."

"What's that have to do with the dance?"

"Well, I was kinda expecting you to be there, at the game. You promised you'd be and-" He gets up from the bed, stands up and gets closer to the window. "And you weren't there."

"I'm sorry about that, Jackson. I really am."

"I got worried. I didn't see you and you're always there and-"

"And I wasn't." She finishes his sentence, before standing up as well and stepping closer to her own bedroom window. "I'm sorry, Jackson."

"It was supposed to be me and you, remember?"

With one hand pressing against the cold glass, she lets out a deep breath. "But it's not _me and you_ anymore, is it? You've got Kenzie and I don't want to get in the way and you know how she gets when I'm around."

"If I wasn't going with Kenzie, would you go to the dance with me?" He asks after a long pause.

She chews on her bottom lips as she stares at him with her heart beating like crazy inside of her chest. "Maybe." April finally says, making him smile. He's never formally invited her to a dance. They've just always decided to go together. It's always been an innocent thing, the two of them going to school events as friends. It was confusing to say the least why know he decided it was the time to ask her now. For a brief moment, April pictured it inside of her head, the two of them, walking in arm by arm, side by side, not as just friends, but as something more. Snapping out of her daydream, she shakes her head. "I think I have to go now." She says as she tells herself she can't keep doing this to herself.

"Okay. Hmm… well, goodnight."

"Goodnight, Jackson." April says and he nods. "And hey… about the game."

"Yeah?"

"You're still my number one quarterback! My QB1!"

"Even if they replace me next time?"

"Even if they do. 'Night, Jackson."

"Night."

He hangs up the call and watches quietly as April puts her phone down as well. Then, she reaches for her ponytail and let's her hair fall down her shoulders and back. Placing her glasses down by the nightstand, she gets ready for bed. With that picture, he smiles and decides to give her some privacy by closing the curtains. After changing into his pajamas, he slips into bed, spending the next hour before falling asleep thinking about his best friend with a smile.

Morning comes around and he's woken up by his mother, calling him from downstairs to have breakfast. It's Saturday and waking up at eight thirty in the morning isn't exactly is favorite thing in the world. He does it, though, because his mother is a doctor at a small hospital in Seattle and takes the blame on herself for working so hard and barely having time with her son during the week. So, they usually have breakfast together during the weekend. Catherine Avery is not only a great doctor, she's a single mom as well. Robert Avery, his father, left them when Jackson was only two years old. He doesn't remember much about his father, but he's always wondered how can a man abandon his family and a young son and never come back, never check on them, never ask if they're okay. Most times, they're okay. But some months things aren't so good, with the paychecks coming in low and the bills pilling up. Jackson knows this and tries to help out the best he can. That's why the scholarship is so important. He needs that money to go to college.

"How was the game yesterday, baby?" Catherine asks, sitting in front of Jackson on the kitchen table, after pouring some hot coffee on a white mug.

"It was…" Jackson looks down at his cereal, plays with it with his spoon. "We lost."

"Lost? The Panthers lost the homecoming game? Boy! Coach Webber must be out of his mind angry."

"Tell me something I don't know!" Jackson says. "It was all my fault. I kept missing the throws."

"I'm sure you'll do better next time."

"Yeah, that's what April said."

"How is April, by the way? She hasn't been around much. I haven't seen her in months."

It's true. Ever since Jackson started dating Mackenzie, in later August, April hasn't been to his house much. They still talk and see each other sporadically, but it's different than it was and he misses her. He truly misses his best friend, but it can be a bit tricky trying to combine having a girlfriend and April at once. Especially considering Kenzie isn't April's greatest fan. "She's okay, I guess."

"You guess? Why? Are you not talking these days?" Catherine asks, placing the mug down on the table and getting up from her chair to walk across the kitchen. "You've always been close. What happened?"

"Nothing, mom. We're just-" He shakes his head, puts the spoon down on the bowl and reaches for the toast getting cold on a plate nearby. "We're fine."

"Okay. If you say so!" Catherine says, knowing her son well enough to understand when he's not willing to talk about it more. "And what about that girl, what's her name again?"

"Who? Kenzie?"

"Yes, exactly. Are you still seeing her?"

"Mom!"

"What? I'm just asking…" Catherine says, shrugging and returning to her seat with a jar of strawberry jam in one hand. "It's not like you've even introduced me to this girl. I don't even know who she is. I'd like to meet her."

"Of course you would!"

"I'm serious, Jackson!" She goes on, taking the tap off the jar and with a knife spreading the red jam on a piece of bread. "I like to know who your friends are and now you have a girlfriend and… well, let's just say the only girl I've ever seen you around is April."

"What's that supposed to mean? April's my friend, we never dated or anything."

"I know that. Although…"

"Although, what?"

"Although I always thought you and April would be good together. I mean, as far as together means."

"Mom-"

"No, don't _mom_ me!" Catherine goes on. "Now I don't know this girl Kenzie and if she makes you happy, then I'm happy for you. But I know April is a very nice girl. Smart, pretty, very polite."

"April's like a sister to me."

"Sometimes we only see things the way we think we should see them, baby." Catherine smiles. "We are played by feelings we don't even realize we have. And it's only when we lose someone so close to us that we realize what could've been.

"I think you're being delusional." He says, putting the cereal bowl away and backing up his chair. "I've got to go now."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm meeting up with Mark at the park later."

"You didn't even eat anything."

"I'm not really that hungry." Jackson says, passing by his mother, only stopping when she reaches for his wrist. "Kiss!" She says and he rolls his eyes before placing one kiss on her cheek, before walking away.

After getting dressed and ready, Jackson leaves the house and drives in his pickup truck to the nearest park. Mark is his closest friend right after April. They met when Jackson got in the Panthers team and Mark was the first one to really welcome him in. Ever since that moment, they've become friends. The park is usually where they meet to after the game to catch up and practice throws. After last night's game, Jackson didn't really allow anyone to talk to him. All he wanted was to go home. But Mark insisted on them meeting today, and he agreed. It would actually be nice and take his mind off things for a while.

"Avery, my man! What's up?" Mark says, as soon as he sees Jackson approaching him with a football ball in hand.

"Alright. You?"

"Same as always." Mark replies, which means good. That's the thing about Mark, he always seems to be in a great mood and Jackson likes that about him. "Ready to throw some ball?"

"Yep."

"What happened last night, man? I don't think I've ever seen Jackson Avery so out of the game."

"I don't know. Wasn't one of my nights, I guess."

"Trouble with your girl?"

"Huh?"

"With Kenzie? You kept looking at the stands last nights. Weren't you looking at her?"

Jackson shakes his head, throws the ball from one hand to the other. "Hmm… no, not really. Kenzie and I, we're fine." But they weren't just as fine as he pretended. Kenzie was a nice girl most times, but sometimes he had trouble keeping a conversation with her, since they didn't share the same tastes or interests. When he first started seeing her, it was all new and fun, but that feeling of curiosity quickly faded. Sometimes he wondered why he was dating her. Sure, she was easy on the eye and popular, but beauty doesn't last forever and it surely isn't enough to fill the blank spaces in their relationship.

"I didn't see your friend April at the game."

"That's 'cause she wasn't there."

"She's a bit weird." Mark says, taking a few steps back and raising his hands to allow Jackson to pass him the ball. "I mean, she's all churchy and stuff."

"She likes to go to church. So what?"

"Nothing, it's just… she's weird."

"Don't call her that. Okay?" Jackson says, raising his right arm and throwing the ball to Mark. "She's my friend."

"I think she has the hots for you, man."

"What?"

"I'm just saying… I think she does." Mark replies, throwing the ball back at Jackson. "The way she looks at you."

"April sees me like a brother. Nothing else."

"She can be a bit weird, but-"

"No more calling her weird!"

"But-" Mark goes on, ignoring Jackson. "She can be a bit hot too if you look at her from a different perspective."

"Hot?"

"Yeah, I mean… She grew in some places." Mark says, raising both hands to his own chest and moving them in circles.

Jackson squints his eyes, quickly throwing the ball with violence, making it hit directly on Mark's chest. "Don't talk about her that way."

"Are you gonna tell me you never found yourself checking on Kepner?"

He has, but that's something he is never going to admit. April has always been a cute girl, her pale skin and fiery red hair gave character. But there was a noticeable change in her appearance since a couple years ago. Her skin cleared up, her hair was softer now, and the braces she wore at night fixed her teeth. She started having more womanly forms as well and overnight she changed, turning from an ugly duckling into a swan. Sometimes he wished he could tell how beautiful she really was, but he never found the courage to say so. "She's just… April. She's… she's got nice hair, I guess."

"Nice hair? Avery, who the hell notices hair?"

"I'm just saying…"

"Wait, have you ever wondered if the curtain matches the drapes?" Mark asks, followed by a laugher. Realizing Jackson wasn't in the mood for jokes, he threw the ball back at him and apologized. "Sorry. I'm just kidding. Who cares anyway? You're dating Mackenzie Sanders, the hottest chick in school!" When Jackson doesn't reply, Mark pauses, takes the ball in both hands and looks at his friend with a playful tone. "Unless you've got the hots for Kepner too."

"Don't be an idiot. Just pass me the ball."

…

After spending about an hour with Mark, Jackson heads home for lunch. Pulling over the car on the driveway, he sees April sitting on the steps that lead to her house. With a smile, he gets out of the car. "Hey!"

"Oh, hi!" She smiles back at him, looking up as he approaches her.

"What are you doing?"

"Waiting on Arizona. She's picking me up so I can help her get ready for the dance."

"So she's going?"

"Yeah. She's going with Callie. You know her, right?"

"Hmm… yeah, I do. Are they dating now?"

"I think they like each other, but I'm not sure." April says, watching as he takes a sit next to her on the concrete steps. "Isn't it nice how two girls can just go to a dance together and no one says anything about it?"

"It amazes me the most how you can be friends with a lesbian girl. I mean… considering church and God and everything."

She tilts her head to the side, crosses her arms against her belly and says. "You know my opinion on that, Jackson. We're all human and love is love."

"I know." He says, proudly. "So you're still not going?"

"I told you, I'm not really feeling it." April says and Jackson nods, moving his eyes to the floor. "Remember the first time we went to a dance? We were in the tenth grade. You were wearing a dark suit and my mom made me wear Libby's old dress, one she once wore to a wedding or something. It was purple and I wore my hair in braid. Your mom drove us and we met with the rest of the class there. We had so much fun."

"We did! We danced a lot that night."

"And you were being a grumpus, because you don't like to dance in public."

"In public or at all!"

"We danced to Justin Timberlake, remember?"

"Yeah, he was popular that year."

"Still is!"

"And you still have a crush on him, don't you? Good old JT!" Jackson remarks, making her laugh. "I had some pretty sick moves."

"You were a terrible dancer."

"No way!"

"Hmm… trust me!" She says, laughing. "But you'll get there."

As silence falls between them, Jackson raises his eyes from the floor and looks at April. Autumn suits her well, he thinks. Her rosy cheeks contrast with the grey daylight, and her hair runs freely with the October's breeze. She brings a special kind of warmth with her. When her eyes meet his, Jackson raises one hand and carefully pulls one of her loose locks behind her ear, moving it from her face. She gives him a shy smile and for a moment their stares linger.

"Hey!" A familiar voice makes them break eye contact and they're both snapped from the moment. Kenzie is inside her car, giving April a threatening look. Jackson quickly stands up, places his hands in his jean pockets and walks towards the car.

"Kenz? What are you doing here? I told you I'd pick you up before the dance."

"I texted you, remember?"

"I didn't see it."

"We're supposed to have lunch together."

"Lunch? But I thought-"

"Unless you have other plans." Kenzie cuts him off and gives April a deadly stare.

Jackson looks over his shoulder and realizes April is standing up as well. With one hand on her purse, she walks across the sidewalk and mumbles something like " _Bye, Jackson_." Then, she enters Arizona's car. Without a choice, he sights and gets in Mackenzie's car and he doesn't see April for the rest of the day.

…

April looks at the time on her phone. It's almost 7pm, Jackson should be leaving to the dance. Getting up from her bed, she walks across her room. Then, carefully, she opens opening the curtain and sees Jackson. He's already in his dark tuxedo, looking in the mirror, fixing the bow around his neck. She smiles and thinks to herself about how handsome he looks. She picks up her phone and looks for his number.

"Hey."

"Hey. Getting ready for tonight, huh?"

"Yeah." He replies after moving his eyes to his own window and watching her standing across. "You still not going tonight?"

"No. Sorry, I have to… study." She lies. It's pretty obvious that she won't be able to do anything since her mind won't stop quit thinking about him. April sees the frown on his face and wishes she could go too. But she can't stand to be in their presence, Jackson and Kenzie's. Watching the two of them be around each other is hurtful enough, never mind watching them dance and kiss. Nevertheless, she wishes she could be in Kenzie's shoes and be Jackson's date. "You look really nice."

"Thank you." He nods. "I should probably get going."

"Yeah… have fun tonight."

"Thanks. And huh… April…" He says, right before they hang up the call. "I wish you were coming."

Once the call ends, April puts the curtain back on its place. Then, alone in her room, she sits on the bed, with her red journal on her lap and a black pen in hand. Funny how she always thinks about being in Kenzie's shoes and how she wishes she could experience that one day. But the truth is, she likes herself, and even though she doesn't see herself as the prettiest girl, she knows Jackson appreciates her sense of humor. And sure, she's not as social and athletic, but she's a smart girl. Kenzie is a cheerleader and April's almost too shy to even speak in public, but she has qualities of her own too. So, maybe she doesn't want to be Kenzie. No, she likes to be herself too much to wish she was someone else. She just wants Jackson to see her less like a little sister and more as the woman she's turning into. Every day she prays about it and asks God to help her come clean to Jackson, reveal her true feelings for him, and be brave. She understands now that being brave comes from within and it's time to do something, to act.

After writing all these thoughts down, April gets up from the bed, places the red notebook on the nightstand and walks to her closer. Opening the doors, she takes a minute to feel her body pumped up with energy. She's doing it, she's going to the dance.


	2. the dance

The first thing April notices when she enters Mercy West High School gym is how different it looks decorated with balloons and round tables with white cheap satin cloths covering them. People are dancing to an upbeat track and she spots Arizona and Callie sitting down, talking and holding hands under the table. Contrasting with the schizophrenic lights of the dance floor, the rest of the place is dark. Lots of familiar faces give her a strange look when she walks past them, but she doesn't stop or talk to anybody. She needs to find Jackson, but it's hard to see who's really around her in the crowd.

As April keeps on the move, she sees Mackenzie nearby. She's standing with her group of friends, wearing a flattering red strapless dress with beating around the chest and a pair of black heels, that makes her look even taller, and her shiny brown hair is down, completely straight. One of her friends taps Mackenzie's forearm when she sees April stepping by and the dark haired girl looks her way. Her eyes turn to April and her red lips part when she leans over to her friends to say something spiteful and they all laugh. April tries to ignore them and turns around. She wonders if Jackson isn't with Mackenzie, then where he could be. Moving her eyes to the tables, she sees Mark Sloan with a very pretty sophomore girl, Lexie Grey. He is Jackson's closets friend after April, but Jackson's not with him either. For a moment April starts to wonder if he even really came to the dance like he said he would. Where could he possibly be? Decided to get a better view, she searches the room with her eyes before taking another step into the dancefloor. He is not the kind of guy who enjoys dancing, but perhaps she can get a better view of the room from the center. Step by step and a few shoulder brushes later, April stops in the middle of the floor. The loud music is making her feel dizzy and so do the lights. However, just when it's starting to feel like it was all for nothing, she hears someone call her name. Moving on her feet, she turns around and a couple of steps away, she finds Jackson Avery walking towards her.

"April, you here! I thought I saw you come in, but I wasn't sure." He exclaims and she notes a sense of relief on his tone. "I'm so glad you're here." Then, he pauses, takes a second look at her and his lips part in a big O. He blinks twice and shakes his head, almost surprised by the vision standing you front of him. "You look… beautiful."

April feels her cheeks blush a little bit and her stomach makes a violent turn. She's wearing a soft pink sleeveless short chiffon dress, with a high neck bodice with some glitter and shoulder straps adorned with a cute little bow in the back that gathered at the waist and flared out. Her hair is in curls she perfected with a curling iron and her makeup is soft, but just enough to make her glow under the dazzling lights. "Thank you." She says, with a shy smile. He's never expressed that she looked beautiful before.

"You said you weren't coming. I thought you weren't."

"My dad drove me here. I changed my mind." She notices surprised he is and how glad he found her too. "I need to talk to you."

"Talk?"

"Yes… I-" the music is too loud and she can barely listen to her own thoughts. However, the moment is here and she can't miss it. So, clearing her throat, she leans in. "I need to talk to you."

"Oh okay. I've been wanting to talk to you too." He replies, raising his tone so that she can hear him. "Wanna go somewhere?"

"Sure."

She follows his in silence out of the gym and as they walk through the high schools halls, finding a couple of teens making out against the lockers on the way, April can't help but to feel her heart jump. _Be brave. Be brave._ She keeps telling herself wondering where he is taking her. After a few lefts and turns, they walk side by side and it's only then that Jackson breaks the silence. "I'm so glad you're here." He says, with his hands on his pants pockets. "I know we have been weird, but I'm glad you're here."

"Why do you think we've been weird?" April asks, testing the waters.

"Well, since Kenzie and I started dating-" He starts with his eyes fixed on the grey floor. "We've kind of been apart. That's why I wanted to talk to you."

"Oh… okay."

"'Cause I'm sorry if I haven't been around much, but with football and Kenzie and school." Jackson goes on. "I'm sorry about that."

"No, no… I understand it. I do." April says, finding herself crossing her arms closely against her chest. She glances at him from the corner of her eyes and notices the look on his face. There's a line right across his forehead, a signal that he's thinking too much, that he's stressed out. "Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"Oh you know… the usual."

"The usual?"

"Yes, I mean, I say something, Kenzie doesn't get it, she gets mad at me, then she yells something and runs to her friends who all gather together against me. The usual." He says, shrugging. "She got mad today, because I said something funny about her dress and she didn't like it. Then she yelled at me because I was supposed to bring a red tie instead of a black bow so we could match. Then, I said I liked my outfit and she said I only liked it because you-"

April doesn't know much about their relationship, except for the fact that when Jackson is with Kenzie he turns into a completely different person. He doesn't smile as much or jokes around the way he does when he's with April. Instead, he is quieter. But when he said _because you_ she became curious. What did he mean? Why was she in the conversation about the bow? Wanting to hear more, she asks calmly. "Me?"

He stops talking in that moment, moves his face slightly to April and shakes his head. "Never mind." Then, he takes a few steps forward and with both hands opens an open safety door that lead to the back of the school. Waiting for April to join him, Jackson tilts his head to the side and says "Come." April applies without questions. The night is chilly and a soft wind reminds her it's already late October. Halloween should be around the corner and it's been her favorite holiday since she was a little girl. She'd always dress up as princess, except for that one year when they were eight when Jackson convinced her to be a pirate. The past few Halloween she didn't even dressed up in costume. Jackson would still go to parties with his football team mates, but she wasn't popular enough to feel comfortable crashing the parties.

As they walk once again in silence, she can still hear the music coming from inside, but only at a distance. She only spent a few minutes inside the party, but she didn't mind. She came here for him, so being with Jackson was the only thing that mattered and they're alone at last. The moon is shining like a great ball of light, only covered by a couple dark clouds in the sky. Jackson is walking in front of her and she raises her eyes to see his figure under the moonlight. He's tall, his dark skin contrasting with the white shirt he's wearing. The bow around his neck gives him an attitude, some sort of poise and style. He's handsome for sure and will probably laugh when she picks up the courage to say what she's been holding for years. They're walking towards the empty football field, but she only stops when he starts stepping on the grass. "Jackson… should we be here?" April asks and he tells her _"No"_. She's never been one to break the rules, but tonight's meant to be special. So, she carefully takes off her heels, holds them in one hand and steps on the field following him. "Why are we here?"

"I just like this place." Jackson replies, waiting for her to catch up. "I've spent some of the most memorable nights of my life in here. This place means something. All the sweat, all the effort… every loss and every victory." He goes on, walking but moving his head towards the empty stands. "This is where I become… Jackson Avery. The quarterback."

"But?"

He turns to her this time, meeting her eyes as they walk across the field. "But what happens when the lights go out? What happens when high school ends? What will happen next year?"

"You'll be just as great. You're going to play in college, Jackson, and be the best player you can be. Don't ever doubt that." April says, walking with her arms crossed, feeling the skin on her shoulders raise. "Plus, we all know high school doesn't last forever, but hopefully better bigger things will come. We just have to have a little faith."

"I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Know how everything's going to be alright."

"You know how."

"Right. God?" He stops, moving on his feet to be right in front of her and April nods. "What would I do without you, April Kepner?" Jackson asks, staring at her hazel eyes with a caring smile.

"I honestly don't know." Jackson laughs at her tease, but then notices how her body's shaking. Quickly taking off his coat he asks if she's cold and places it around her shoulders. April thanks him and after dropping her shoes on the groups, she puts the sleeves through her arms, taking a second to close her eyes and let his perfume linger on her skin. When she opens her eyes again, she finds him staring at her. He notices her gesture, but doesn't say a thing. Raising her hands to his neck, she finds the piece of fabric of his bow between her fingers. Adjusting it, she gives him a smile and says. "You look really handsome tonight."

"I missed this." Jackson says. "I missed talking to you like this. I'm sorry about-"

"It's okay, Jackson. I told you I understand. I do."

"Sometimes, I wish Kenzie was more like you." He retorts, making April drop her hands to the sides and move her stare away.

"Oh!"

"I mean, it's so easy when I'm with you. To talk and just… be." Jackson sits on the grass and April carefully follows. "She's so complicated. I feel like with you I can just say whatever and you'll understand. But she's not like that."

"We're different people, Jackson."

"I think that's why she gets so nasty when you're around." Jackson says, apparently lost on his own thoughts. "She sees you as competition. She's always comparing what I do with her and what I do with you, or the things we talk about, or the way I act around you."

"She does?" April asks and he nods before letting out a deep sight and falling on his back, laying down. "That's why she doesn't like me? Because we're friends?"

"Yeah, maybe she's jealous… I don't know." He looks at the sky above and places both hands on the back of his head. In silence, he thinks about his relationship with Mackenzie, making an evaluation on his feelings. Sometimes he questioned why he was with a girl like her, someone who didn't exactly completed him and he wasn't even sure why they started dating. Mackenzie had been after him for the longest time, but he was never really interested. He guessed never having a girlfriend before and the fact that she was basically begging for his attention was a dual factor to his sudden change of heart. He'd always tell April how he'd never fall in love when they sporadically talked about it. She believed in soul mates, he didn't. She believed in marriage, he didn't. It always caused him confusion to think about two people meeting and knowing they were the one for each other. How could that be? In a world full of people, how are you supposed to know you've found the one? The closest he's ever been to having a serious relationship was now with Kenzie, but somehow something was missing. He feels April taking the space next to him and laying down facing the sky as well. He appreciates her presence and how calm he feels whenever she's around. It's so different when she's with him. She brings out the best in him even when he's nervous or feeling down. She knows what he likes and don't. She knows what his favorite food and the lyrics to his favorite song. She doesn't mind coming to his games every Friday night even though she hates sports in general. And she's kind and smart and nice and funny and pretty. She's all these things and more… if only she knew.

"Do you ever look at the sky and feel… infinite?" She asks, interrupting his thoughts. "Like you have no idea what's your real place in the world or what you're supposed to do, but you just feel like you belong. Like you know there's a reason for it all. And you feel… alive?"

"Yeah."

"Sometimes I think all our souls are connected somehow. Especially the ones we love, the ones we hold in your hearts. That's people become best friends, you know. The reason why people end up sharing secrets and stories and… their lives honestly."

"Like me and you?" Jackson retorts and April simply nods, not moving her gaze from the heavens above.

Then, she falls into a deep silence that lasts a few more minutes. "April?"

She hears Jackson break the silence. "Hmm?"

"What are you thinking about?"

"Remember when we were fourteen and you broke my nose with a football? We were playing on the street outside of my house and you threw the ball at me, directly at my face."

"It wasn't on purpose."

"I know… I know. But it hurt like hell and there was blood everywhere and my parents were furious at you because I had to go to the hospital and get surgery to have it fixed."

"And then you came to school and every one made fun of you for having a swollen face and bandage on your nose."

"Exactly. And I was so angry that I didn't talk to you for like three weeks straight." April remembers. "I knew you didn't do it on purpose but you joked with it. You said I was lucky I had a free nose job and that it looked better."

"I was being an ass, but I redeemed myself eventually. Didn't I send you like a box of chocolates or something to apologize?"

"You did! Clearly not enough for an apology."

"Thank God you didn't stay mad at me forever. Those were the worst weeks of my life. You wouldn't even let me sit next to you in class." Jackson retorts, thinking about his stupid fourteen year old self. "I liked your previous nose. I mean, I like this one too, we've got to live with it- Ouch!" He says, when she hits him on the arm. "I'm just kidding!"

"Yeah, right!"

"But hmm… why are you thinking about it?"

"'Cause that was the longest we stayed without speaking. I was angry at you, but I didn't enjoy it one bit." April says, moving slightly to the side to face him. "I don't ever want to spend three weeks without talking to you."

"I don't want that either." He smiles and she gives him a nod before looking up again. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For coming." He says and when April moves her face to look at him, a lock of her red hair comes and rests on her eyes. Jackson then turns to the side, reaches with one hand and puts the curl away. Her hazel eyes shine at him and her lips part when she asks him to dance. He rests the weight of his body on his shoulder and remarks that he doesn't like to dance. She insists and even though they have no music and he's a bit uncomfortable when it comes to dancing, he takes her hand as she stands up.

April rests her hands around his neck, and he places his on the sides of her waist. Then, after giving each other an awkward smile, they slowly start to move. He tries not to put too much pressure on his hands and lightly touches her body, but she comfortably rests her head on his chest. Closing his eyes, Jackson can smell the sweet taste of her perfume. It's a mix of fresh fruits and vanilla candy. Her presence feels as warm as a fireplace on a cold rainy day and in that moment the earth seems to stop spinning around. It feels magical, like they're inside a snow globe and the rest of the world is just a distant memory.

"Hmm… hmmm... hmm" She starts humming. Her soft voice cracking silence like an angelic tone. " _Where do you when you're lonely? Where do you go when you're blue? Where do you go when you're lonely… I'll follow you. When the starts go blue…"_

With her arms around his neck, they dance to the music she starts singing, their feet perfectly in sync. His heart is beating loudly against his chest and he tries to keep himself calm, knowing she can probably hear it jumping up and down. As she keeps on singing, Jackson feels her body starts to feel more and more relaxed. He allows his hands to touch her back, pulling her in, even closer. A small smile starts to appear on his lips when he completely let's go of all his worried and silly thoughts. It's just April and him and no one else matters.

" _Laughing with your pretty mouth. Laughing with your broken eyes. Laughing with your lover's tongue. In a lullaby_." She savors the movements, taking the time to listen to his heart and how it's marking the rhythm. The warmness between is more powerful by the second. Her own heartbeat growing steadily along with it. She wants to freeze this moment, keep it and let it last forever. They start to mash up, becoming one with the song she's singing. Jackson's fingers start to move back to her waist, finding the curve between her hips and her chest.

She feels her heart on her throat, threatening to come out. "April?" He says, making her stop singing. "Remember our first kiss?"

She nods twice, going to the back of her mind and remembering every little detail of that moment. They were eleven years old and it was the hottest summer day Seattle had seen. "You wanna do it?" She can hear almost too clearly Jackson's thin voice say. She replied with "Only if you want to." They were alone in her treehouse, the one her father build with his bare hands for the sisters to play. "How do we start?" He asked and she shrugged, only remembering what she had seen on TV. "I think you have to close your eyes." He looked at her with a curious stare. "That's it?" She nodded. "And then you kiss." She remembers how he took about three seconds to mentally prepare. Then, closing his eyes, he leaned forward. She closed hers as well and met his lips halfway. It was quick, innocent and sweet, filled with curiosity and respect. After it happened they promised they would never tell anyone what they did or ever do it again. They were just kids, after all.

"Why do you ask?"

"I know we promised never to do it again, but-" He licks his lips, suddenly feeling his throat too dry. "Is it wrong that all I really want to do is kiss you right now?"

They stop moving. Dipping forward and looking into her eyes, his left hand touches her rosy cheek. Face to face, with April on the tip of her toes, her lips part. "If something feels good, it can't be wrong." She says, after licking her lips in anticipation. His eyes, as blue and deep as an ocean, are shining bright under the moonlight's spell. Her arms leave his neck and she presses the palms of her hands against his chest. Jackson pulls her in, and their stares are locked. The air feels lighter yet crispier. April feels like she's suddenly stepping on a cloud and her mind is leaving her body behind. Jackson lets his face fall forward, his lips now threatening to brush against hers. She holds her breath, closes her eyes and lets it all happen.

The first thing Jackson notices is how her lips taste like cherry lipstick, the second is how soft they feel, the third is how he never wishes to stop kissing them. It was a strange feeling, to know he was kissing his best friend. Yet, it felt so right and his entire body ignite with the unexpected spark that comes from being so close to her. The kiss is gentle, but intense. When their lips part, he stares at her eyes and at her smile. She's glowing like a firework in the fourth of July. Her breath is puffed now, her heart skipping beats and her stomach's on the floor. Jackson touches her flushed cheek and without saying another word, he presses another kiss on her lips, lifting her up as he goes. She finds herself with her arms once again around his neck and her feet in the air. He opens his mouth, letting a little bit of breath come in and welcoming her tongue. She kisses him for the first time, unsure of what she's supposed to do, tasting every inch of his mouth, lost in sensations she didn't know before. He puts her back down, bends over and tangles the fingers of his left hand on her curled hair. His free hand roams freely on her back, pulling her somehow even closer. When he deepens the kiss April moans against his lips. When he hears that unfamiliar sound, Jackson feels a rush of sensations run through his body. His tongue is exploring brand new territory, and it feels so much better than he's ever dreamed it would be. He tests her and she complies, running her tongue along his bottom lip, biting it hungrily with her teeth in a tease. Her body feels warmer under the soft fabric of her dress. He can't help but to smile. Running his hand to the back of her neck, he feels her body delight in his touch.

They only separate when they're completely out of breath. April rests her forehead on Jackson's, her chest burning, her head still spinning. She takes a moment to compose herself, in a midst of disbelief and amazement she comes to her sense. They've kissed. They've really _kissed_. A bright smile takes over her features when she turns to say. "That was… amazing."

He nods, still grabbing her by waist with his two hands, not wanting to let her go. "You're amazing." The words flying out of his mouth with no filter, making her blush again.

Her knees tremble with the sound of his voice and for a second she wants to know if she's dreaming or not. But before she can say another word, she feels his face is pressed against hers again. Caught up in the heat of the moment, neither of them notice the first drops of rain coming the sky, crashing into the fabrics of their clothing and making them wet. It's only when she shivers that Jackson lifts up his eyes. Dark clouds now forming above their heads, a perfect storm is coming. What seems like a few innocent drops of rain turn into a storm in a matter of minutes. She realizes then that it's starting to rain, but she doesn't mind. With him, she'd dance in her best dress, in the middle of that football field, completely wet.

They start to laugh like kids, running hand in hand out of the school perimeter. Once they reach Jackson's truck, they're both soaking. There's a rush of adrenaline running through their bodies and before Jackson starts the engine, their stares linger. The rain is falling on the hood of the car aggressively now like an unspoiled soundtrack to a flawless evening.

On the drive home, she looks at him often. The passenger seat never seemed like the best place to be. With one hand on the steering wheel and the other gear, he spots her staring by the corner of his eye. And even though he's colder than he's ever been in his life, with his tuxedo glued to his body, he's never felt happier. The night is about to end and there's so much to process in between, but right now it's all that matters… right now all he's sure is that she's beautiful and that he's never felt this way before.

When he pulls on the driveway, she gives him a sweet kiss on the cheeks and, with a shy smile, tells him goodnight. Walking inside the house, still wearing his jacket, April feels like she's stepping on clouds.

"Oh my Lord, April, what happened? How was the dance?" Karen, her mother, asks the minute she shuts the front door and leans with her back against it for a few quiet seconds. Then, she looks at Karen, smiles and sighs. "Perfect." April replies, before quickly running upstairs. Once in her room, she falls on the bed, thinking about everything that happened. She can still smell his perfume, and feel his warm hands around her small frame, and taste his lips in her mouth. All those years praying for a miracle and it finally came true. Closing her eyes and still seeing stars, she thanks God and dreams of what's to come.

...

AN: Thank you so much for reading my story and for reviewing. I hope you enjoy this chapter and keep reading what will happen next. How will Jackson deal with his feelings for April? Will Kenzie know about this kiss? Once again a reminder that english is not my 1st language! Please be kind and leave a review. Love, Annie.


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